So, as I mentioned yesterday, I think the time has finally come for me to focus exclusively on one frame, and one frame only, and that frame is... (all right, all right, we're talking 2 here frames really, but you know what I mean)... the pro-stock/retail YTPP.

Yesterday I realized a few things and pondered Aristotle-like as is my inclination (ahem) ... what am I possibly going to find that swings as sweetly as this?... has such oomph and solidness?... such tremendous feel?... such precision and control?... is as responsive as this?... et al.

My sitting on the fence so long has largely been due to certain concerns, concerns which have centered around my fear that I'm not quite up to the standard of the frame (an experience perfectly exemplified by brief time with the MG Prestige mid), and that my game is maybe better suited to more overt topspin b-line frames that are closer to tweener rackets perhaps (like the APD, PD+, TF V02 320, PST, and all these frames I've been looking at in the last six months or so.)

But, re the first point, I find the PP is more forgiving, has better spin, and is generally just a bit easier to use effectively compared to a Prestige mid or whatever... in short (and I've used this phrase a lot), it's the closest I've found to the almost "mythical PT630 with an open pattern"... Re the second point... hmmm, this perhaps remains to be seen, but with the exception of hitting more topspin - which undoubtedly I can with the APD and TF V02 - and the ease of hitting oomphy serves and a 2hbh - I'm struggling to find where these other frames are an advance on the PP.... and as for the rest, as Confucious, Gallileo, Cicero, Power Player and PED could tell you: it is all about technique .

Another issue, potentially, is in the fact that I'm favoring the TGK as my no. 1 frame, with the retail YTPP at no. 2. Even though I'm not playing tournaments or whatever, I'd still prefer at least 2 of exactly the same frame - and the pro-stock DOES play better, for me. However, there's that challenge - and this does appeal to me - of trying to tweak and fine tune and hone the retail to as close to the TGK as possible (and for the record, the differences for me include the TGK just swings so sweetly, so "primed" and smoothly... it has what I can only call an effortless oomph and power allied to control... I was amazed to see it not only matching but surpassing the uber-powerful TF V02 320 yesterday for power, and yet when you need to decelerate , as it were, and choke up on the power and get some real accuracy and control re-established, it instantly clicks obliging, and quite beautifully, into gear... and it's feel is just like... the planets have aligned .)

So racketaholics of the world, armed with just these 2 frames, a brand spanking new Head racket bag (well, if I'm not going to buy rackets I might as well buy bags, right?!), and about fifty different sets of poly (LOL!) - I now now step into the bright light of a new day ("cough, cough")...

WARNING FELLAS: ON NO ACCOUNT POST ANY BLOODY GLOWING REVIEWS OF FRAMES ON THIS THREAD FOR AT LEAST A MONTH!... HA, HA!

So, as I mentioned yesterday, I think the time has finally come for me to focus exclusively on one frame, and one frame only, and that frame is... (all right, all right, we're talking 2 here frames really, but you know what I mean)... the pro-stock/retail YTPP.

Yesterday I realized a few things and pondered Aristotle-like as is my inclination (ahem) ... what am I possibly going to find that swings as sweetly as this?... has such oomph and solidness?... such tremendous feel?... such precision and control?... is as responsive as this?... et al.

My sitting on the fence so long has largely been due to certain concerns, concerns which have centered around my fear that I'm not quite up to the standard of the frame (an experience perfectly exemplified by brief time with the MG Prestige mid), and that my game is maybe better suited to more overt topspin b-line frames that are closer to tweener rackets perhaps (like the APD, PD+, TF V02 320, PST, and all these frames I've been looking at in the last six months or so.)

But, re the first point, I find the PP is more forgiving, has better spin, and is generally just a bit easier to use effectively compared to a Prestige mid or whatever... in short (and I've used this phrase a lot), it's the closest I've found to the almost "mythical PT630 with an open pattern"... Re the second point... hmmm, this perhaps remains to be seen, but with the exception of hitting more topspin - which undoubtedly I can with the APD and TF V02 - and the ease of hitting oomphy serves and a 2hbh - I'm struggling to find where these other frames are an advance on the PP.... and as for the rest, as Confucious, Gallileo, Cicero, Power Player and PED could tell you: it is all about technique .

Another issue, potentially, is in the fact that I'm favoring the TGK as my no. 1 frame, with the retail YTPP at no. 2. Even though I'm not playing tournaments or whatever, I'd still prefer at least 2 of exactly the same frame - and the pro-stock DOES play better, for me. However, there's that challenge - and this does appeal to me - of trying to tweak and fine tune and hone the retail to as close to the TGK as possible (and for the record, the differences for me include the TGK just swings so sweetly, so "primed" and smoothly... it has what I can only call an effortless oomph and power allied to control... I was amazed to see it not only matching but surpassing the uber-powerful TF V02 320 yesterday for power, and yet when you need to decelerate , as it were, and choke up on the power and get some real accuracy and control re-established, it instantly clicks obliging, and quite beautifully, into gear... and it's feel is just like... the planets have aligned .)

So racketaholics of the world, armed with just these 2 frames, a brand spanking new Head racket bag (well, if I'm not going to buy rackets I might as well buy bags, right?!), and about fifty different sets of poly (LOL!) - I now now step into the bright light of a new day ("cough, cough")...

WARNING FELLAS: ON NO ACCOUNT POST ANY BLOODY GLOWING REVIEWS OF FRAMES ON THIS THREAD FOR AT LEAST A MONTH!... HA, HA!

R.

Before you commit, you really should give the 2010 Kneissl White Star a hit that is one sweet stick. String it up with that new Luxilon Savage - go with the black it looks awesome.

So, as I mentioned yesterday, I think the time has finally come for me to focus exclusively on one frame, and one frame only, and that frame is... (all right, all right, we're talking 2 here frames really, but you know what I mean)... the pro-stock/retail YTPP.

Yesterday I realized a few things and pondered Aristotle-like as is my inclination (ahem) ... what am I possibly going to find that swings as sweetly as this?... has such oomph and solidness?... such tremendous feel?... such precision and control?... is as responsive as this?... et al.

My sitting on the fence so long has largely been due to certain concerns, concerns which have centered around my fear that I'm not quite up to the standard of the frame (an experience perfectly exemplified by brief time with the MG Prestige mid), and that my game is maybe better suited to more overt topspin b-line frames that are closer to tweener rackets perhaps (like the APD, PD+, TF V02 320, PST, and all these frames I've been looking at in the last six months or so.)

But, re the first point, I find the PP is more forgiving, has better spin, and is generally just a bit easier to use effectively compared to a Prestige mid or whatever... in short (and I've used this phrase a lot), it's the closest I've found to the almost "mythical PT630 with an open pattern"... Re the second point... hmmm, this perhaps remains to be seen, but with the exception of hitting more topspin - which undoubtedly I can with the APD and TF V02 - and the ease of hitting oomphy serves and a 2hbh - I'm struggling to find where these other frames are an advance on the PP.... and as for the rest, as Confucious, Gallileo, Cicero, Power Player and PED could tell you: it is all about technique .

Another issue, potentially, is in the fact that I'm favoring the TGK as my no. 1 frame, with the retail YTPP at no. 2. Even though I'm not playing tournaments or whatever, I'd still prefer at least 2 of exactly the same frame - and the pro-stock DOES play better, for me. However, there's that challenge - and this does appeal to me - of trying to tweak and fine tune and hone the retail to as close to the TGK as possible (and for the record, the differences for me include the TGK just swings so sweetly, so "primed" and smoothly... it has what I can only call an effortless oomph and power allied to control... I was amazed to see it not only matching but surpassing the uber-powerful TF V02 320 yesterday for power, and yet when you need to decelerate , as it were, and choke up on the power and get some real accuracy and control re-established, it instantly clicks obliging, and quite beautifully, into gear... and it's feel is just like... the planets have aligned .)

So racketaholics of the world, armed with just these 2 frames, a brand spanking new Head racket bag (well, if I'm not going to buy rackets I might as well buy bags, right?!), and about fifty different sets of poly (LOL!) - I now now step into the bright light of a new day ("cough, cough")...

WARNING FELLAS: ON NO ACCOUNT POST ANY BLOODY GLOWING REVIEWS OF FRAMES ON THIS THREAD FOR AT LEAST A MONTH!... HA, HA!

R.

Good luck mate! I fiddled with a YTPP yesterday for a few minutes. I'd forgotten what the Prestiges felt like in accessibility for spin-- oofa. Nice, precise volleys too. I think I'm going to try to borrow [read commandeer] my friends'. for some serious testing

__________________
"Play like to want to win, not like you want to avoid losing."
Yonex 95D

It's been a few weeks now and counting (see signature)... anyone else want to write their own 'Diary of A Racketaholic'? ... if this keeps up I'm well and truly cured!... ... "Halleluyah!"... "Glory be!"... "Praise the Prestige!"...

Now just promise me that if you ever find yourself in a drunken stupor/fit of madness/lack of cash or generally compromised state and decide to part ways with that PT630 that I will get a quick message so that I can take it off your hands. Lol.

In all seriousness though, I think that you'll find yourself looking for another TGK 238.5 because there is nothing like being able to pick up that second frame and know that it is going to feel exactly like other.

It's been a few weeks now and counting (see signature)... anyone else want to write their own 'Diary of A Racketaholic'? ... if this keeps up I'm well and truly cured!... ... "Halleluyah!"... "Glory be!"... "Praise the Prestige!"...

R.

Sounds good Ross. Has your game got a little more consistent?

A good sign is that you only take those rackets to the court. I've recently stopped taking the revs the rads the custom vts the pt's the pc's and the er no there's nothing else in my super racket bag which i like to call a car

Stringaholics and gripaholics has been sorted too with the new Wilson hybrid grip + og and a couple of solinco strings.

Playing great consistent stuff and leading my singles league but where's the fun in that when i could be playing turd with a new racket, crawling flea bay for another find.........

It's been a few weeks now and counting (see signature)... anyone else want to write their own 'Diary of A Racketaholic'? ... if this keeps up I'm well and truly cured!... ... "Halleluyah!"... "Glory be!"... "Praise the Prestige!"...

R.

hi Ross. my apologies if you mentioned it before (didn't want to go through 28 pages of the thread), but did you modify your YTPP retail with lead or anything else so it resembles your pro stick?. thanks!

Wow. Awesome thread. I'll admit three things to start: 1. I didn't read *every* post...just the first and last several pages, 2. I've seen this thread on the forum for months and only jumped in now, and 3. I think I'm a racketaholic. Here's my story (I'll make it entertaining in return for all the LOLs I got reading others' witty posts).

Two summers ago, a friend got me back into playing tennis after about 8 years away. My old stick was a Wilson HPS 6.1. I started demoing similar frames--the K6.1, the 6.1 Tour, the KPS88, the Speed Pro, convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with these demanding frames. Yuck. No luck. Then I tried my first Babolat--the Pure Drive GT.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

Absolutely loved it--the lighter weight, the headlight balance, the ungodly spin, and the added oomph that let me get away with being a little out of position, etc. I was sure that this was the racquet for me. I bought two.

Well, that lasted about three months. By late in that summer, I had gotten into a little better tennis shape and had started to hit long with the PD. I cranked the tension all the way up to 65 lbs, but still couldn't control the ball well enough. I also started to have a litle soreness in my elbow. I looked for a frame with similar specs, but with a little more flex and a little less pop. More demos ensued until I tried the Speed MP 16x19.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

The Speed was just what I had been looking for--not too mushy, but a little softer on my arm, less powerful so I could keep balls in play, and still gave me good spin and pop on the serve and FH. I was perfectly content...until I heard of the new YT Prestiges coming out last winter. I had to have one. My game was still improving, and I was convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with a demanding frame like the YTPP. So I bought one cold turkey. The answer, even after multiple string setups, was still a resounding "no."

Then there was a one night stand with a YT Rad Pro. I don't even want to talk about that.

Back to the Speeds I went, then back to the Pure Drives, then the Speeds again. I added an APDGT to the bag, which I could only distinguish from the PDGT if I could see or touch it. Then one day, my hitting partner asked me to try his Prince Ozone Tour, which he was convinced I wouldn't like because of its flexy, plush feel.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

By now, it'll bore you to hear why I loved it, but I loved it. I bought one. Then two more. Then went back to the Speeds to find them a nice, crisp change of pace. Than back to the Pure Drives to recapture the wicked spin game. The Radical and Prestige got assigned to basement duty. I was a happy Ozone user. Then I got to thinking...wouldn't it be criminal to try a Prestige, a Speed, and a Radical and not demo an Extreme? So I tried both the MP and the Pro.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

I liked the stability of the Pro but the flex of the MP, so I bought an MP and threw about 6g of lead around the hoop and a couple of washers under the buttcap. Great stick. Like the Pure Drives, but softer with a little more feel. I was convinced that the Extreme(s) were PD replacements for me, so I finally sold some sticks--the Pure Drives, the YTPP, and the YTRP. I can still play well with the Speeds and the Ozones, too. So what's next?

I have an IG Speed and an EXO3 Tour on my doorstep as I type this, just waiting to hit the courts. Maybe I will have another OMG moment with one or both. Maybe I...well, not maybe. I *will* be trying out the new IG Extremes when they come out and will probably get a couple of those. Maybe I'll even have to go buy another PD because I miss it. Who knows?

So what has all this waffling shown me? Well, if there's a perfect stick out there for me, I'm determined to keep looking, probably forever. I also learned that weight and balance mean more to me than any other racquet spec, and that as long as I have a 15 minute warmup to get used to a new frame in my spec range, I can play with anything.

Thanks to all for such great posting. I'll be sure to keep up on this thread in the future and share my thoughts about the IG Speed and the EXO3 Tour, especially how they compare to the rest of the HEAD lineup and the Ozone.